2022 Duca di Salaparuta Etna Bianco Làvico, Italy, Sicily, Etna Bianco, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$34.00USD

This is 100% Carricante from Sicily.  Silvery/green in color, clear4 and bright.  The nose is pretty with peach, slight lime and salinity.  Medium bodied.  Slightly oily texture.  Good balance and acidity.  On the palate, peaches, lime pith, minerals and slight char.  Long finish.  This is an excellent and refreshing white wine.  It has depth and drinks great on its own.  Grilled swordfish or tuna steaks would be a great match.  Drink over the next five years.

2022 Tasca D'Almerita Catarratto Buonsenso Tenuta Regaleali, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is made from 100% Cataratto grapes in Sicily.  Silvery/green in color, clear and bright.  The nose is refreshing with peach, sea air and slight char.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous, "liquidy" texture.  On the palate, peaches with a slight bitter almond note (in a good way) and char.  Plenty of depth here.  Long finish.  This is a complex wine but also refreshing.  It is crisp, food friendly and reasonably priced.  This is lovely on its own and would be great with fried shrimp or other sea food. Drink over the next fiver to eight years.  

NV Alessandro Viola Sicilia Blanc de Blancs Pas Dosé, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2024
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$42.00USD

it looks like a release date of 09/23.  This is a sparkling natural wine from Sicily made from 100% Catarratto grapes.  Pas Dosé means No Dossage.  Golden in color.  A nice mousse of smaller bubbles that quickly disappears in a wide rim glass.  The nose is apple cider with a bit of salinity.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the apple cider notes continue along with a nice minerality.  Some cinnamon on the finish.  It is a different wine that seems food friendly.  Probably best to drink sooner than later.  

2021 Donnafugata Passito di Pantelleria Ben Ryé, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

This is from an Island located south west of Sicily.  Although part of Italy, it is actually closer to Africa (Tunisia).  It is a fascinating dessert wine. Made from Zibibbo (Muscat of Alexandria) grapes.  Amber in color with some golden hues.  The nose is great with canned peaches, apricots and candied oranges.  Viscous.  On the palate, this is sweet but not cloying.  Delicious.  Enough acidity to carry the fruit.  Also a touch of honey.  Long finish.  Great on its own, this would work well with Biscotti or shortbread.  Fun.

 

2021 Cantine Paolini Sicilia Gurgò Frappato-Syrah, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is a blend of 60% Frappato and 40% Syrah from Sicily.  Violet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has raspberries, black cherries and char.  Medium bodied.  Silky texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has big fruit; raspberries and black raspberries along with char and thyme.  There is some depth as well.  Long finish.  Like most Italian wines, this is better with food.  This would work well with plate of pasta with mushrooms.  Drink over the next five years.  

2021 Planeta Frappato Vittoria, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$29.00USD

Made from 100% Frappato grapes.  Very pale ruby/blue in color, clear and bright.  The nose has pretty cherry notes along with a bit of a floral quality and wild Thyme.  Also some salinity.  Light to medium bodied with light, silky tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, raspberries and cherries.  Clean.  Good finish.  Drink now.  This would be a lovely wine to serve at a summer party.  It seems food friendly and would be one wine that would work with a plate of Spaghetti and tomato sauce.  

Stemmari 2021 Grillo

Vintage: 
2021
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

While common in Italy, and a grape native to the island of Sicily, you don’t find much Grillo is other parts of the world. And that’s okay as Italy does an admirable job with the grape. It offers good minerality, nice acidity and flavors of subtle lemon-lime, white peach, kumquat, apricot, resin and honeysuckle, light mango and other tropical fruit notes. In terms of food pairing, this is the kind of wine that is ultimately versatile, and Stemmari offers a terrific value. ORIGIN: Sicily, Italy. ALCOHOL: 13%

2021 Donnafugata Bell'Assai, Italy, Sicily, Vittoria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is a wine made from the Frappato grape in southeastern Sicily.  Donnafugata is one of the top wineries in Sicily.  13% abv.  Ruby in color with some purple swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, strawberries and floral notes.  Light tannins.  On the palate, there is depth here but it takes some air/cellaring to bring it out.  Flavors of cherries and cranberries with a bit of salinity and slight underlying char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  It drinks well on its own, but is better with food.  This would be great with an Anchovy Pizza, but also Salmon.  It may

2020 Alessandro di Camporeale Monreale Catarratto Sicilia Vigna Di Mandranova, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This is a white wine made from Catarratto Extra Lucido grapes in Sicily.  Silvery/gold in color with slight green swirls, clear and bright.  The nose has lots of salinity, some smoke, lemon rind and slight granny smith apple notes.  Full bodied.  Very well balanced.  Slightly viscous texture.  On the palate, limes, slight grapefruits, loads of minerality and slight underlying char.  Long finish.  This is very interesting as well as delicious.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would be classic with trout or other fish dishes.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

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